Who We Are

 

Our People:

Our team came together out of shared concern for the welfare of primarily dogs and cats in the area that have no place to call their home. 

We are all committed and loving rescue dog and cat owners, and have diverse background in animal welfare, fostering, adoption, founding nonprofits, working alongside or serving on various nonprofit boards and committees, grooming, fundraising, and forming community connections. We value strong partnerships with our vets, foster families, and volunteers. 

Cassandra Torkelson, Director

Cassandra is a fear-free dog/cat groomer in Crookston, with pet CPR/first aid certification. She is an experienced neonatal foster and has about ten years of experience as an independent animal rescuer. Cassandra was a volunteer with The Retrievers lost dog team. She has experience in lost dog prevention and humane capture of dogs. Cassandra has experience with shy/feral dogs. She is a huge animal advocate and believes that rescue is a team effort.

Joan Darco, President

Joan is a long-time resident of Crookston, MN, where she teaches at Red River Valley Juvenile Center. Known for her deep passion and dedication to animals, Joan has spent nearly a decade fostering animals for various organizations and rescuing many on her own. Through Linus’s Legacy, Joan hopes to meet the needs of the Crookston community and surrounding areas by offering a safe haven for vulnerable pets, promoting adoption, and providing valuable resources to local residents.

Lori Carlson, Secretary

All of Lori’s cats and dogs have been rescues and wonderful friends. She teaches in Crookston and is also a freelance musician and artist. Through her work in education she has leadership experience serving on many local and state committees, working alongside non-profit boards, and fundraising. A creative, visionary, and detail-oriented person, she was one of the founders of “Handmade Neighborhood”, a local artisan fair that has been running in Winona since 2008. Her newest dog is a sweet and smart doberman that was adopted as a singleton puppy and has grown to enjoy rally class and courses. She has pushed Lori to become smarter on puppy socialization and overall dog training. Lori is excited to be part of a committed group of animal rescuers.

Brandon Lee, Treasurer

Animal welfare has always been a passion of Brandon’s, and he has been a lifelong supporter of shelters and rescues. Every pet he has ever had has been adopted, including his current companions - Millie, whom he rescued in 2024, and Casper, who has been with him since 2012 after he adopted him in South Dakota.

As the treasurer of Linus’s Legacy, Brandon is dedicated to ensuring that our rescue has the resources needed to provide care and support to animals in need. He believes every animal deserves a loving home, and he is proud to be part of a team working to make that a reality.

Kari R. Trudeau, board member

Kari served in the MN National Guard for 10 years. She started college with a veterinarian tech background and changed careers to cosmetologist. As a local business owner, she has owned her salon for 23 years. She has done hair care for residents of the nursing home for 25 years. She has also been active in the community serving on a youth sports board and volunteering at several fundraising events.

Kari has rescued many small animals from the elements and has adopted several of her last few pets. She has experience in animals with daily health issues, and one of her current dogs is a tripod. She has experience training dogs basic commands in classes and w/private dog trainers. She has many years of experience caring for reptiles and amphibians such as iguanas, turtles, frogs and geckos, including a rare breed known as the Caledonia giant gecko.

Brian Torkelson, board member